Pipe tong



April 7, 1942. H. E. GRAU EIAL PIPE TONG Filed May 16-, 1939 3Sheets-Sheet l Herbez'i E. Grrau. Chester A, Lun ieen INVENTORS, 621%ATTORNEYS April 7, 1942. H. E. GRAU ETAL 2,278,439

PIPE TONG Filed May 16, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Herbert E Gmu. ChasZ-e? A.Lundeen.

INVENTORS ATTORNEYS April 1942- H. E. GRAU ETIAL 2,278,439

PIPE TONG Filed May 16, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 HerberZ' E. Grau.

Chester A. Lundeen,

INVENTOR5 ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 7, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEPIPE TONG Herbert E. Grau and Chester A. Lundeen, Vernon,

Calii'., assignors to Byron Jackson 00., Huntington Park, Calii., acorporation of Delaware Application May 16, 1939, Serial No. 273,909

10 Claims.

satisfactorily. The first and most important rev quirement is that theygrip the pipe immediately upon being closed, so that no slippage occurs.The other requirement is that they do not crush the pipe. Both slippingof the tongs and crushing of the pipe are avoided if the jaws contactthe pipe over a considerable area, uniformly distributed about the pipe.

A type of tong which satisfactorily fulfills the above requirements, andwhich as a result has come into general use, is that known as the Wilsontong. A distinctive feature of this tong is the pivotal mounting of twooppositely disposed series of jaws on the tong handle at points spacedlongitudinally of the handle, thereby providing a double compensatingfulcrum assuring the application of equalized leverage to the two setsof jaws. Entirely satis factory performance of these tongs is, however,limited to pipe of a certain size, or to two definite sizes whenprovided with a double bore and a two-step latch. When used withundersized or oversized pipe or joints there is a tendency for one orthe other set of jaws to buckle, preventing proper contact with the pipeand causing the tong to slip on the pipe or to concentrate the pressureat certain small areas, which may result in crushing the pipe.

It has been discovered that the cause of improper contact of the jawswith slightly oversized or undersized pipe or joints may be traceddirectly to the fact that the two inner jaws are pivotally connected tothe handle at different radial distances from the pipe axis and that, asthe handle assumes different angularly related positions to increase ordecrease the size of the pipe opening between the jaws, the radialcomponent of the distance between the two pivot points varies. As aconsequence, the jaw which is connected to the handle at the outer orlong radius pivot, hereinafter designated as the long jaw, approachescloser to the pipe axis than does the jaw connected to the handle at theinner or short radius pivot, hereinafter called the short jaw.

A principal object of this invention is to remove the foregoinglimitations on the use of a tong of the type described above, and toprovide a tong of this type which will properly grip pipe 5 or joints ofany size within a relatively wide range.

A further object is to provide a tong of the above type in which thepipe bores of the jaws define a true circle in any position of thehandle.

A still further object is to provide a tong of the type in which thejaws have a double compensating fulcrum on the tong handle and in whichthe radial distance between the fulcrums is maintained constant.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the foregoing objects areattained by mounting the long jaw on a fixed pivot on the handle andslidably and pivotally mounting the short jaw on the handle, and byproviding cooperating arcuate surfaces on the short jaw and handlewhereby the two jaws are maintained in proper relation to the axis ofthe pipe opening irrespective of the position of the handle.

In a modification of the above, the desired relationship between thejaws is maintained by the provision of cooperating arcuate surfaces onthe two jaws.

The manner in which the foregoing objects may be accomplished will beapparent from the following detailed description of a preferredembodiment and two modifications thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a tong head embodying a preferred form of theinvention;

Fig. 2 illustrates diagrammatically the operation of the tong of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a modified form of theinvention; and

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a modification of the tong head of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 shows a still further modification; and

Fig. 6 illustrates diagrammatically the operation of the tong of Fig. 5.

Referring to Fig. 1, reference numeral [0 denotes the inner end of theusual tong handle through which torque is applied to the tong head. Along jaw II is pivotally mounted on the handle on a pivot pin i2, andhas a latch jaw l3 pivotally mounted on its outer end on a pivot pin l4.A short jaw I5 is also pivotally mounted on the handle on apivot pin IS,the axes of the pivot pins l2 and I6 preferably lying in a longitudinalplane of the handle altho not necessarily the central plane thereof. Alatch lug jaw I1 is pivotally mounted on the outer end of the short jawon a pivot pin l8. A latch I9 is pivotally mounted at 20 on the latchjaw l3, and is provided with an arcuate latching surface 2| adapted toengage either of two latching surfaces 22 and 23 on the latch lug jaw|'I to enable the tong to be applied to objects of widely differingdiameters, such as drill pipe and drill pipe couplings. A double boremay be provided in the jaws in conjunction with the twostep latch, asdescribed in U. S. Reissue Letters Patent No. 17,597 to Robert Adams,dated February 18, 1930.

It will be apparent that if the distance between the axes of the pivotpins i2 and it were constant, the radial component of this distancewould vary as the handle i is swung relative to the tong head, andconsequently the pipe bores 24 and in the long jaw ii and short jaw i5,respectively, would assume different relative distances from thetheoreticalcenter O of the pipe opening in the jaws and would not lie ona true circle except in one position of the handle.'

To overcome this difficulty, one of the pivot pins, preferably the shortjaw pivot pin l6, is

slidably mounted in the handle. To this end, the pivot pin I6 is mountedin a block 21 slidably mounted in an elongated slot 28 in the handle.The length of the slot exceeds that of the block by an amount suflicientto permit the center distance between the pivot pins l2 and IE to remainconstant.

The provision of a sli dable pivotal connection of one of the inner jawswith the handle will not, of itself, assure that the pipe bores of bothinner jaws will contact the pipe properly. Accordingly,

positive means are provided for this purpose. In the embodiment of Fig.1 a radially inwardly directed arcuate surface 3| is formed on the innerend of the handle l0, concentric with the pivot pin i2. A cooperatingarcuate surface 32 is like-' wise formed on the short jaw, concentricwith the pipe opening in the jaw. Since the point of tangency of twotangent circles lies on a line extending between theircenters, it isevident that the arcuate surface 3| always contacts the arcuate surface32 at a point P lying on a line extending from the axis of the long jawpivot l2 to the center 0 of the pipe opening in the jaws. It necessarilyfollows that as the handle III is swung in a clockwise direction todecrease the size of the pipe opening in the jaws, the bores 24 and 25will remain equidistant from the center 0 since the bore 24 bears afixed relation to the long jaw pivot l2 and the bore 25 is concentricwith the arcuate surface 32 and the radial distance between the latterand the pivot I2 is maintained constant.

Figure 2 illustrates diagrammatically various positions of the pivotalconnections between the jaws and of the pivot pins l2 and I5 and thecontact point P between the arcuate surfaces 3| and 32 as the tong isadjusted to grip pipe of different diameters. In this figure similarreference numerals are used to designate corresponding parts in Fig. 1and are primed from to 5 to indicate five successive positions forgripping pipe or joints having diameters ranging from d to d It shouldbe noted that in positions I to 3 the first step 22 on the latch lug jawI! of Fig. 1 is engaged by the latch l9, whereas in positions 4 and 5the second step 23 is engaged.

It will be observed that in contracting the jaws from position.3 toposition I, the distance between the long jaw pivot l2 and the short jawpivot l6 decreases until the handle |l reaches its central position,represented by position 2 in solid lines, and that thereafter thisdistance increases. It will also be observed that the successivecontact'points P to P between the arcuate surfaces 3| and 32 lie onlines between the pipe center 0 and the respective positions I2 to I2 ofthe long jaw pivot pin l2. As previously pointed out, this latterfeature maintains a constant radial distance between the long jaw pivotl2 and the arcuate surface 32 on the short jaw, which in turn isresponsible for maintaining the pipe bores 24 and 25 of these jawsequidistant from the center 0.

Referring now to Fig. 3, there is shown therein a tong head similar inmost respects to that shown in Fig. 1 but embodying a modifiedarrangement for maintaining the pipe bores of the long and short jawsequidistant from the pipe center. As in Fig. 1, the tong comprises ahandle 40 on which are pivotally mounted a long jaw 4| and a short jaw42 on pivot pins 43 and 44 respectively. Outer jaws 45 and 46 arepivotally mounted on the jaws 4| and 42 and are latched about the pipeby a latch 41.

This form of the invention also resembles that shown in Fig. 1 in thatthe short jaw pivot 44 is mounted in a block 50 which is slidablymounted in an elongated slot in the handle to permit variation of thedistance between the pivots 43 and 44. It differs from that previouslydescribed, however, in the provision of contacting arcuate surfacesonthe long and short jaws instead of on the handle and the short jaw. Anarcuate surface 5| is formed on the short jaw, having its center at O,and a cooperating arcuate surface 52 is formed on the long jawconcentric with the long jaw pivot 43.

It will be observed from a comparison of Figs.

- 1 and 3 that the arcuate surfaces 5| and of 52 of Fig. 3 have the samecenters as the arcuate surfaces 32 and 3|, respectively, of Fig. 1, andthat consequently they function in a similar manner to accomplish thedesired result. In Fig. 1 the proper interrelation between the long andshort jaws is effected indirectly through an intermediate memberei. e.,the handle, whereas in Fig. 3 it is accomplished by directinterconnection between the'ja'ws. Since the arcuate surface 5| has itscenter at O and the contacting arcuate surface 52 is concentric with thelong jaw pivot 43, the two arcuate surfaces 5| and 52 will alwayscontact at a point lying on a straight line extending from the pivot 43to the center 0. Consequently the radial distance from the pivot 43 tothe arcuate surface 5| will remain constant, and the pipe bores 54 and55 will be maintained equidistant from the center 0.

In Figure 4 is shown a slight modification of the form of the inventionshown 'in Figure 3. In this form, as in Figure 3, cooperating arcuatesurfaces are provided on the long jaw and the short law to maintain thedesired interrelationship between these iaws. The principal distinctionbetween the embodiments of Figs. 3 and 4 lies in the fact that in Fig. 3the lnterengaging arcuate surfaces on the long and short jaws preventthe long jaw from moving inwardly relative to the short jaw but theshort jaw is free to move inwardly relative to the long jaw, whereas inFig. 4 a pair of oppositely directed surfaces on one jaw are confinedbetween a pair of oppositely directed arcuate surfaces on the other jawand hence relative radial movement between the jaws is positivelyprevented. The former arrangement, however, has certain advantages, aswill be explained hereinafter.

The tong head of Fig. 4 comprises the long jaw 60 and the short jaw 61pivotally mounted at 62 and 63, respectively, on the handle 64 andhaving outer jaws 65 and 66 mounted thereon and adapted to be latchedtogether about a pipe by the latch 61. In this instance the long jawpivot 62 is slidably mounted in the tong handle, differing in thisrespect from the form shown in Fig. 3. In this connection it should benoted that in the embodiments of Figs. 3 and 4 it is immaterial which ofthe inner jaw pivots is slidably mounted in the handle. since the latteris not interposed between the two jaws as an element of the equalizingmechanism as is the case in Fig. 1.

Referring once more to Fig. 4, it will be observed that a web 68 isprovided on the long jaw 60, and an arcuate slot 69 extends transverselyof the web and is engaged by the short jaw pivot pin 53. The arcuatesurfaces of the slot lie on concentric circles having their center at 0.There are thus provided a pair of oppositely directed arcuate surfaceson the long jaw concentric with the pipe opening, and between thesefaces there are a pair of oppositely directed arcuate surfaces on theshort jaw pivot pin 63.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the construction shown inFig. 4 functions in the same manner to produce the same effect as theconstruction of Fig. 3. As the handle 64 is moved to differentsuccessive positions to contract or expand the jaws, the engagement ofthe pin 63 in the slot 69 maintains the two jaws equidistant from thecenter 0.

It will be noted that in Figs. 1 and 3, wherein the long and short jawsare not constrained against relative movement in both radial directions,that the radially outwardly facing arcuate surface is formed on theshort jaw rather than on the handle or on the long jaw. It would beentirely feasible, from the standpoint of maintaining the long and shortjaws equidistant from the pipe bore, to reverse this arrangement.However, the reverse arrangement is less desirable from a practicalstandpoint because it would not afford equal pressure of all jawsagainst the pipe. Referring to Fig. 1, as the handle I is moved in aclockwise direction to contract the jaws about a pipe the long jaw II isin tension and is positively forced radially inwardly against the pipebecause of the relative positions of its outer pivot l 4, inner pivot I2and the short jaw pivot l6 which functions as a fulcrum for the lever inswinging the long jaw about its outer pivot I4. In the case of the shortjaw, however, the relative positions of its outer pivot l8, inner pivotl6, and fulcrum l2 are such that as the lever fulcrums about pivot pinl2 the short jaw is not forced radially inwardly toward the pipe axis toexert the same pressure as the long jaw. This is particularly true whenthe handle is swung to the lower side of its central position, as viewedin the drawings, in which position the best gripping effect is obtained.For the foregoing reasons, it is preferred to provide the short jaw witha radially outwardly directed arcuate surface which is engaged by aninwardly directed surface either on the long jaw or on the handle,whereby the short jaw is positively forced radially inwardly against thepipe.

As previously pointed'out, in the embodiments of Figs. 1 and 3 the shortjaw is free to move inwardly a short distance relative to the long jaw,causing the arcuate surfaces 3| and 32 of Fig. 1 and SI and 52 of Fig. 3to separate slightly. This is not a detriment but an advantage for thefollowing reasons. It is customary to mount a tong die in the short jaw,as shown at 35 in Fig. 1 and at 51 in Fig. 3, and, if desired, a seconddie may be mounted in the long jaw although this is not considerednecessary. Whether or not the arcuate surfaces become separated whenapplying the tong to a pipe depends entirely on the manner in which itis manipulated. If these surfaces are separated, however, manualswinging of the handle to contract the jaws will cause the outer of thetwo arcuate surfaces to strike the arcuate surface on the short jaw alight blow as they contact, thus giving the die an initial set in thepipe which aids in preventing slipping of the tong about the pipe priorto full contraction of the jaws into pressure engagement with the pipe.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that we have provided a highlyimproved tong adapted to grip various sizes of pipe with equaleffectiveness, and have thereby removed a limitation on the use of atype of tong which has found particular favor with drilling crewsbecause of its positive gripping action and because it distributes thepressure evenly around the pipe and thereby avoids crushing it. In theembodiments thus far described, several different constructionsembodying the jaw equalizing principle have been set forth as applied toa four-jaw tong wherein the jaws are arranged in pairs pivotally mountedon the handle at their inner ends and having cooperating latch means attheir outer ends for latching about a pipe. The principle is equallyapplicable to a three-jaw tong, however, an example of which isillustrated in Fig. 5.

In this figure, a long jaw 10 and a short jaw H are pivotally mounted at12 and I3, respectively, on a handle 14. It will be observed that theshort jaw pivot pin 13 is mounted in a block 15 which is slidablelongitudinally of the handle in an elongated slot I6. It will also beobserved that cooperating arcuate surfaces 11 and 18 are formed on theinner end of the handle and on the short jaw II, respectively, thearcuate surface 'l'l being concentric with the long jaw pivot and thearcuate surface 18 having its center at O. A latch lug-jaw BI ispivotally mounted at 82 on the outer end of the short jaw I I, and hasstepped latching surfaces 83 and 84 selectively engageable by acooperating latching surface 85 on a latch 88.

Thus far this embodiment of the invention is similar in all respects tothat illustrated in Fig. 1. The tong of Fig. 5 differs from that of Fig.1 in that the latch 86 is pivotally mounted at 81 directly on the longjaw 10, the latch jaw l3 of Fig. 1 being omitted from this construction.It necessarily follows that with ony three jaws the arcuate grippingsurface of each jaw is of greater angular extent than in the four-jawtong, and the pivotal connection 82 between the short jaw II and thelatch lug jaw 8l is not diametrically opposite the latch pivot 81, as isthe case with the corresponding pivots l4 and I8 of Fig. 1. This doesnot affect the operation of the equalizing mechanism, however, a factwhich will be apparent from a consideration of Fig. 6, which illustratesdiagrammatically the relationship between the various pivot points andthe contact points on the arcuate surfaces 11 and 18 when the tong ofFig. 5 is adjusted to grip pipe of different diameters.

It will be recalled with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 that as the tonghandle I!) is moved into different. angularly related positions that thepoint of contact P between the arcuate surfaces 3| and 32 always lies ona line between the long jaw pivot l2 and the pipe center 0, thusmaintaining the arcuate surface 32 on the short jaw l5, and consequentlythe pipe bore 25 therein, at a constant distance radially inwardly ofthe long jaw pivot. It will be apparent that the relative locations ofthe outer pivots l4 and It with respect to the center have no bearing onthe foregoing equalizing arrangement, and that the latter functions in asimilar manner when the outer pivots of the long and short jaws aredisposed a substantial distance on the opposite side of the pipe center0, as illustrated in Fig. 6. In this figure the same method ofdesignation of the various pertinent points has been employed as wasused in Fig. 2--i. e., the reference numerals used in Fig. 5 have beenprimed from I to 5 to designate successive positions of correspondingpoints as the jaws and handle are adjusted to grip pipe having diametersfrom d to d For convenience in illustrating the application of theprinciple to a three-jaw tong, and particularly its application to sucha tong embodying a two-step latch, the tong has been oriented about thepipe to maintain the range of swinging movement of the handlesubstantially symmetrical with respect to a horizontal line through thepipe center. It will be understood, of course, that in changing from thefirst latch step 83 to the second step 84 that the effective length ofthe latch lug jaw 8| is increased by the difference in the distances82-43 and 82-44. In Fig. 6 this increase has been distributed equally onboth sides of the aforementioned horizontal line, which accounts for thefact that points 82* and 81 are at substantially equal distances to theright of the last preceding corresponding points 82 and 81 It isbelieved that the application. of the equalizing principle to athree-jaw tong will be understood from the foregoing description andbrief discussion of Fig. 6, and a detailed analysis of the movements ofthe pivot points is believed to be unnecessary. Suffice it to say thatthe cooperating arcuate surfaces on the short jaw and handle function inthe same manner as in the four-jaw tong shown in Fig. 1, to maintain thepipe bores of the long and short jaws equidistant from the pipe axis.

Various other forms of equalizing means, including those shown in Figs.3 and 4, are also equally adaptable to a three-jaw tong, and hence it isto be understood that the embodiment shown in Fig. 5 is solely forillustrative purposes. It will also be understood that inasmuch as thelocation of the outer pivots of the long and short jaws, and the numberand character of the intervening linkage between the free ends of thosejaws, have no effect on the operation of the equalizing means, thelatter is applicable to a tong irrespective of the number of jawstherein.

The invention has particular utility in rotary tongs used principally inmaking up and breaking out tool joints in drill pipe. Such joints oftenbecome worn, due partly to contact with the well casing while drillingand partly to frequent making up and breaking out. A-tong constructed inaccordance with this invention will grip such worn joints as effectivelyas full diameter joints. The invention is not considered to be limitedto its application to rotary tongs, however, but may be applied to tongsand wrenches generally to overcome the above-mentioned defect inherentin a tong of the type having a double fulcrum for the tong handle.

We claim:

1. A pipe tong comprising a handle, a first jaw pivotally connected tothe handle, a second jaw connected to the handle for pivotal movementand movement longitudinally of the handle, other jaw means pivotallyinterconnecting said jaws and defining therewith a pipe opening, saidhandle having an arcuate surface thereon concentric with the axis ofpivotal connection of said first jaw with the handle and said second jawhaving a cooperating arcuate surface thereon substantially concentricwith said pipe opening, said surfaces normally coacting to maintain thepipe bore of said second jaw at a substantially constant distanceradially inwardly of said first jaw pivot, in all positions of saidhandle.

2. A pipe tong comprising a handle, a first jaw pivotally connected tosaid handle, a second jaw pivotally connected to and movablelongitudinally of said handle, other jaw means pivotally interconnectingsaid jaws and defining therewith a pipe opening, said handle having anarcuate surface thereon concentric with the axis of pivotal connectionof said first jaw with the handle, and said second jaw having acooperating arcuate surface thereon substantially concentric with saidpipe opening, said arcuate surfaces normally contacting each other tolimit relative movement between said handle and second jaw radially ofthe pipe opening in a plurality of positions of swinging movement ofsaid handle.

3. A pipe tong comprising a handle, a pair of opposed jaws connected tosaid handle, other jaw means pivotally interconnecting said pair of jawsand defining therewith a pipe opening, one of said jaws being connectedto said handle on a pivot which is fixed relative to the handle and theother jaw being slidably and pivotally connected to the handle, anddirectly interengaging arcuate surfaces on said jaws for normallymaintaining the pipe-engaging portions of the latter substantiallyequidistant from the center of said pipe opening in all positions ofsaidhandle.

4. A pipe tong as set forth in claim 3, in which said interconnectingmeans comprises a pin on one jaw and an arcuate slot in the other jaw,said slot being substantially concentric with said pipe opening.

5. A pipe tong as set forth in claim 3, in which said interconnectingmeans comprises an arcuate slot in the jaw having pivoted and slidableconnection with the handle, said slot being substantially concentricwith said pipe opening, and a pin on the other jaw, said pin beingsubstantially concentric with said fixed pivot on the handle.

6. A pipe tong comprising a handle, a first jaw and a second jaw, one ofsaid jaws being pivoted to said handle on a fixed pivot and the otherjaw being slidably and pivotally connected to said handle, other jawmeans pivotally interconnecting said jaws and defining therewith a pipeopening, and means normally maintaining the pipe-engaging portion ofsaid first jaw at least as close to the center of said pipe opening asis the pipe-engaging portion of said second law. in all positions ofsaid handle, said means comprising an arcuate surface formed on one jawsubstantially concentric with said pipe opening, and a cooperatingarcuate surface on the other jaw concentric with the pivotal connectionof the latter with said handle. 7

7. A pipe tong as set forth in claim 6, in which said first namedarcuate surface is formed on said first jaw, and said second arcuatesurface said first named arcuate surface is formed on said second jaw,and said second arcuate surface is formed on said first jaw. 1

9. In a pipe tong, a handle member, a series ,of interconnectedpipe-encircling jaw means defining a pipe opening and including a pairof end jaw memberspivotally connected to said handle member, the axis ofpivotal connection to said handle member of one end jaw member 'beingdisposed at a greater distance from said pipe opening than the axis ofpivotal connection between the other end jaw member and the handlemember, whereby swinging of the handle constricts or loosens the jawmembers about a pipe disposed in the pipe opening,- means, forpreventing the pipe-engaging surface on said one end jaw member fromapproaching closer to the center of the pipe opening than thepipeengaging surface on the other end jaw member during swinging of thehandle member in tightening direction, said means comprising an arcuatesurface on one of said members substantially concentric with the pipeopening and an opposed arcuate surface on another of said membersconcentric with the axis of pivotal connection of said last-named memberwith the third of said members, and the pivotal connection between oneof said jaw members and the handle member being bodily movable relativeto one of said members to permit said opposed arcuate surfaces tointerengage in all positions of said handle member.

10. A pipe tong comprising a handle member, first and second jaw memberseach pivotally connected to said handle member, other jaw meanspivotally interconnecting said jaw members and defining therewith a pipeopening, the axis of pivotal connection of said first jaw memher withthe handle member being located at a greater distance from the pipeopening than the axis of pivotal connection of the second jaw memberwith the handle member, cooperating means on said members formaintaining the pipe-engaging surface on said second jaw member at leastas close to the center of the pipe opening as is the pipe-engagingsurface on said first jaw member in all positions of said handle member,said means comprising an arcuate surface on one of said memberssubstantially concentric with said pipe opening, an opposed arcuatesurface on another of said members concentric with the axis of pivotalconnection of said last-named member with the third of said members, andmeans freely movably mounting the pivotal connection between one of saidjaw members and said handle member to permit said opposed arcuatesurfaces to interengage in all positions of said handle member.

HERBERT E. GRAU. CHESTER A. LUNDEEN.

